Wednesday, October 1, 2014

Opals, the birthstone for the month of October, have a mystery and
history as interesting as their iridescence. Whether you were born in
October or not, improve your knowledge of opals with these fun facts
from Adina Jewelers from Empire:

The opal is an ancient
mineral known as petrified silica gel that is found near the earth's
surface where geothermal hot springs once existed.

Many opals
contain a rainbow-like iridescence known as "opalescence,” which changes
the colors that appear in the stone depending on the angle it is
viewed.

Opalescence is caused by a hydrous silicon dioxide
material that causes the gemstone to flash iridescent colors when the
opal is viewed from different angles.

The subcategory of opals known as precious opals are the most in demand because of their "opalescence” or “play of color.”

The
word opal is derived from the Latin word "opalus," meaning precious
jewel, as well as “upala,” the Sanskrit name for precious stone.

Opals are given to celebrate a 14th wedding anniversary, and are a symbol of faithfulness and confidence.

The ancient Romans called the opal “Cupid Paederos,” which translates to “a child beautiful as love.”

In
ancient Rome, opals were ground up and consumed because they were
believed to have healing properties and the power to ward off bad
dreams.

The Great Bard, Shakespeare, loved opals so much, he nicknamed them the “queen of the gems.”

The opal is Australia’s national gemstone, and its indigenous people call opals “the fire in the desert.”

Coober
Pedy, Australia, is known as “The Opal Capital of the World” because 51
percent of the world’s supply of opals are mined there.

In
2008, NASA discovered opal deposits on Mars! Since opal is made up of
mostly water, Mars may have contained water for billions of years.

If
you’re born in October, or just looking to buy beautiful opal
gemstones, Adina by Empire Jewelers has a magnificent collection of
estate and vintage opal jewelry, available at true wholesale prices, as
well as a wide variety of precious and semi-precious gemstone jewelry. Shop online today, and remember, if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.